Strange Girl
by emeraldwolfqueen
Summary: If Kel had never been interested in becoming a knight, but living her life on some lands knowing some of the Yamani fighting arts. Story better than summary. R&R Rated for slight fluff.


Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Don't ask, don't tell.

A/N: Hey, just a one-shot here! Enjoy!

Strange Girl

Kel looked over the convent.

A Daughter rushed out and greeted her.

"Keladry of Mindelan, please, come inside," she simpered.

"I would like that, thank you."

She was ushered into the convent and was amazed that such a drab building looked so nice inside.

"Here is the room you will be sharing with on of out older ladies. Dinner is in a half hour. I suggest getting ready now," the Daughter primly said.

"Yes, madam. And thank you for taking me in," Kel replied.

The Daughter smiled, "Enjoy your stay," and closed the door.

Kel turned to survey the room.

It was very large, with two very feminine beds and all the necessities for a lady.

_Plenty of room for glaive practice,_ she thought, satisfied.

000

Six years had passed and Kel was deemed a wonderful success. She was exactly what the Daughters had wished for. The Yamanis way of hiding emotions was exactly the practice the Daughters wanted. Even the Yamani fighting arts preformed by ladies was approved of.

In two days, Kel was to be introduced at the Palace, in Corus.

For her and the other ladies' protection, a guard of knights was coming to escort them. Kel was overly excited. She was finally going to meet the knight of her dreams.

The first Daughter entered.

"The carriages and knights have arrived. Your trunks will be handled by the servants," she announced.

"Thank you, Madam. We will miss you," Kel sighed.

"We will miss you, too, dear," the Daughter smiled and hugged Kel goodbye, "Make us proud, Keladry!"

"I will."

"Hurry up!"

Kel grabbed her cloak and Yamani fan and walked gracefully to her awaiting carriage.

As she arrived, she noticed a tall, dark haired knight standing by the carriage door, helping the others in. Brilliant green eyes looked at her, and the knight smiled. Truly smiled!

Then Kel noticed his crest. He was of Queenscove!

Kel reached the carriage and curtsied to the knight perfectly.

"Dear lady, whom might you be?" He asked gracefully, green eyes full of mischief.

"Keladry of Mindalen, Sir Knight," she meekly said.

"Sir Nealan of Queenscove, to be exact," he teased before kissing her perfect hand.

"Sir Nealan, it is an honor to make you acquaintance."

"Please, call me Neal. I believe we are holding everybody up. If I may…"

He gently helped her into the carriage, and then shut the door.

The other ladies all twittered about how much attention Neal had given her.

"He is smitten with you," one plainly pointed out.

"How so?"

"He is right next to your window and keeps glancing at you."

"Oh!" Kel said and blushed.

000

"Sir Neal! I didn't know you would be escorting me into the ballroom!" Kel exclaimed.

"Yes, lucky me," He said and bowed over her hand.

The herald called out, "Lady Keladry of Mindalen!"

"Here we go," she muttered, making Neal laugh.

She put her arm on Neal's and walked to the top of the staircase, looking so unnerved.

She walk to the King and Queen and curtsied, not wavering an inch.

"Lady Keladry, we hope you enjoy your stay with us," Kind Jonathon said.

Kel rose and said, "Thank you, Your Majesties."

He nodded and let her join the crowd.

Soon the dancing would begin.

Kel noticed that Neal had come to her side again.

"Lady Kel, may I have the first dance?" he asked, offering his arm.

"It would be my pleasure, Sir Neal."

She couldn't help but gaze into his eyes. They were enchanting.

Kel didn't have more than five minutes throughout the whole ball to herself. Neal seemed to receive most of her dances. She did watch him and he only danced with several ladies. And her friends noticed, too.

She got to meet Duke Baird of Queenscove, Neal's father.

"Ahh, so you're the lovely lady my son is so taken with!"

"It would seem so, Your Grace," Kel meekly replied.

The Duke smiled and walked away.

000

"Kel, dear!" Lady Ilane rushed to her daughter.

"Mother!" Kel cried, hugging her mother.

"We hear you were an amazing student at the convent. We are so very proud of you, dear."

"Thank you, Mother."

"This might be strange to you, but we have to talk about your betrothed."

"My betrothed? I didn't think I had one."

"You do. It was set up at your birth," Ilane's eyes twinkled, "And we hear Nealan is very taken with you!"

Kel's hazel eyes widened, "Neal is…!"

"Yes. He says you are far more interesting than the other ladies he knows. You talk of such interesting things, according to him," she said.

"That's why he was so interested in me when we first met!" Kel accused.

"Yes. And your wedding is so soon! In two months, to the very day!"

Kel's mouth hung wide open.

000

"Kel! Oh, wasn't the ball so much fun!" squealed Kel's best friend, Yvonne of Port Legann.

"Yeah," she replied dreamily.

Yvonne stopped twirling to stare at her friend.

"What's wrong, Kel? I've never really seen you like this. Come on! Talk to me!"

Yvonne was shaking Kel so hard that Kel was so dizzy when she stopped.

"Alright! I'll tell you! Don't lose your corset! You know how I met my mother this morning?"

"Yeah…"

"She told me I'm betrothed to," Kel paused dramatically, "Sir Nealan of Queenscove."

"Great Mother Goddess!"

Their other friends entered as they were jumping up and down, hugging each other.

"What the…?"

"She is betrothed to Sir Nealan!" Yvonne cried.

"When?"

"How?"

"Didn't know I was so popular," drawled a voice.

All the girls ran each other over to find a seat. Kel was blushing madly, looking at Neal leaning on the doorpost.

"Neal! What a surprise!" she stammered.

"I should know, everyone all racing to seats. Was I the topic of all that celebrating or did I mishear? Don't think I possibly could, with that much noise."

"Could you ladies please leave us alone?" Kel was still blushing, trying to hide her emotions. She gave up and grabbed a fan and covered the lower part of her face.

"Of course! We'll see you at the ball tonight," Yvonne said, exiting last.

Kel collapsed into a chair deeply embarrassed.

"My guess is you found out about out being betrothed?"

"Oh! You heard Yvonne shouting it to the whole world, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

Kel sighed, debating whether or not to tell him her secret. She finally came to a decision.

"Do you remember a few years ago, when you were a page, a spidren hunt?"

"Yes," he looked questioningly at Kel.

"A girl with a flock of sparrows helped you find the spidren, then left. Do you remember her?"

"Yes, she was gorgeous dreamily said.

Kel blushed, "Then you met her again the next year with a group of girls out on a picnic. You were attacked by bandits and had to protect them, but that girl was the only one who could do anything."

"Yeah, she had an ugly dog she called 'Jump'."

Kel stood and walked to the open window that opened to a courtyard.

"Crown, Freckle, Jump! Come here!" She called.

Kel stood back as Jump jumped through the window with two sparrows, Crown and Freckly, clinging to his back.

"Neal, I'm that girl. I know I haven't been seen for ages. Nothing wrong near me really happened. Except four years ago. I stopped a rouge centaur from stealing a child and a baby griffin. The stupidest thing I've ever done."

Neal was staring, "We heard about that! Sir Raoul told us a strange young girl had done it on progress. At the tournament… that griffin on the field was yours!"

"Yes Daine had found the parents and I returned it the next day."

"Strange… all these years I had been in love with that strange girl and then it turns out I'm to marry you! Could my life get any better?"

"It could."

"How," he skeptically asked.

Kel leaned forward and pressed her lips against Neal's.

"Your right. And it could get even better," he said with a sly smile.

All Kel could do was close and lock the shutters and the door before she gave in to the temptation called Neal.

The End!

A/N: Hey! How was it? Review and tell me! I'll post a thank you to all of you who do! Thanks a million!


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